The Fond du Lac Environmental Program’s Office of Water Protection includes the staff and programs responsible for protecting the aquatic resources of the Reservation: surface waters (lakes and streams), wetlands, and ground water. These resources are substantial: over 3000 acres of lakes, 96 miles of streams, and 44,000 acres of wetlands, which support traditional hunting, fishing and gathering activities of band members. The Reservation has been granted “Treatment as an Affected State” authority for administering its water quality program and has EPA-approved water quality standards to protect designated uses such as fishing, recreation, cultural and wild rice. Our water quality data, collected through our ongoing monitoring and assessment program since 1998, is used to report on the condition of our Reservation waters, determine any trends in water quality over the seasons or years, and identify lakes and streams that may need restoration or extra protection.
The Band was also approved in 2004 for TAS to implement our nonpoint source program, after completing an assessment and developing a nonpoint source management plan, updated most recently in 2020. We engage and collaborate with the tribal and local community, local schools and universities, and various regional, state and federal organizations to further our mission of protecting and restoring the waters of the Fond du Lac Reservation.